Community to decide if it can buy popular Chichester pub

The building owners, Grace Holdings Ltd, has put it up for sale for £795,000.

It is a registered Asset of Community Value (ACV), giving a local group first refusal, but a firm interest has to be registered soon and there is then six months to come up with the money to buy it.

The steering group set up to save the facility has secured support from the Plunkett Foundation, a charity that helps establish community pubs.

A survey is going to be delivered to around 2,000 Whyke homes to gauge support and this Saturday (February 10) a public meeting is being held at the scout hut in Whyke Road at 11am.

Sarah Sharp said “We believe the pub is worth saving – as an important local hub for meeting and communicating with neighbours. Much of the appeal of Whyke rests on its sense of community.

“We feel the pub plays a role and could play an even bigger one in keeping that community spirit lively.

“We know that Muchos Nachos is a community asset and Whyke would be a poorer place without it, so we are keen to hear from you if you can help support this campaign.”

Cllr Sharp believes that if the community fails to buy the building, it could lose its ACV and could be opened up for housing, with Grace having an application to turn it into flats refused last year.

The survey is also available here